Yang Xiong felt a bit helpless upon hearing his father's words. Within the sect, there were countless rules and regulations governing the cultivation of children, especially those with greater talent.
Recently, Yang Xiong had reviewed some materials and gained a rough understanding of martial soul awakenings in the world of soul masters. According to statistics, there were approximately one hundred thousand soul masters in total, with over seventy percent being below the rank of Soul King—a distribution resembling a pyramid.
The proportions of Soul Masters, Great Soul Masters, and Soul Nobles were roughly equal. Anyone whose martial soul awakened with an innate soul power level—unless it was an abysmally low half-level—could theoretically reach the Soul Elder rank, though the time required varied.
However, starting from the Soul Ancestor rank, the number of soul masters drastically decreased. With each rank increase, the number of soul masters dwindled exponentially, while the gap between ranks grew wider.
For instance, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect boasted around five thousand soul masters, but only two Title Douluos, over twenty Soul Douluos, and at least a hundred Soul Sages.
Don't underestimate Yang Lin, a Soul King stationed as an outer sect steward. Though he held a position within the sect, his duties weren't particularly demanding unless assigned special missions, allowing him ample time to rest.
If a Soul King ventured outside the sect, they could serve as the governor of a small city or lead a team at an advanced soul master academy.
At this moment, Yang Lin continued: "Xiao Xiong, let me share some good news. Our sect's young mistress has awakened with an innate soul power level of nine—the highest ever recorded for a Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda martial soul in our sect's history."
Yang Xiong frowned slightly. "What does that matter? Though the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda is powerful in support, it has an inherent flaw: its soul power can only reach up to level seventy-nine."
Yang Lin sighed. "Yes, that's our sect's greatest limitation. Otherwise, with the robust support of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, we could rival even the Hao Tian Sect."
Yang Xiong…
---
In the afternoon, under his father's guidance, Yang Xiong began his first meditation session.
Meditation involved clearing one's mind and allowing innate soul power to circulate within the body, absorbing ambient energy of the same attribute from the air.
Across the Douluo Continent, meditation methods were largely similar, though the paths of energy circulation within the body varied depending on individual differences such as martial soul type and physical constitution. Over time, each person would develop their own unique method.
The foundation of all this was innate soul power. Those with higher innate soul power levels experienced faster circulation during meditation, while those with superior martial soul quality benefited from broader meridians. Typically, the innate soul power level and martial soul quality of newly awakened soul masters were closely aligned.
This explained why soul master sects grew increasingly prosperous—they not only had comprehensive cultivation systems but also rigorous training methods for their strongest martial souls. Additionally, hereditary factors ensured relatively stable bloodlines and martial souls.
In contrast, Body Martial Souls lacked attributes and could absorb all types of energy from the air. However, this was both a strength and a weakness. The chaotic nature of ambient energy made early cultivation for Body Martial Souls particularly challenging.
Another significant drawback of Body Martial Souls was their inability to be summoned like other martial souls.
On the Douluo Continent, whether Weapon Martial Souls or Beast Martial Souls, they could all be manifested externally. During meditation, soul masters could synchronize their mental focus with the form of their martial soul. By the time they reached level ninety-nine, their bodies and martial souls would achieve perfect fusion.
But Body Martial Souls were different. Since they couldn't be summoned or externally manifested, early cultivation was exceedingly difficult. Progress relied solely on continuous physical training. Moreover, current cultivation methods paled in comparison to those developed thousands of years later, especially since the continent lacked any systematic spiritual cultivation techniques.
After meditating for an entire afternoon, Yang Xiong felt only a minuscule increase in his soul power—far less than expected for someone with an innate soul power level of six.
During dinner, Yang Lin asked, "Xiao Xiong, how did your first meditation go today?"
Yang Xiong reflected on the afternoon's session. "Father, I feel the results were quite poor. My soul power barely increased at all. Perhaps this is a limitation of having a Body Martial Souls."
Sun Yu comforted him: "Xiao Xiong, when I first started meditating, I felt the same way. It seemed my body and martial soul couldn't fully align. But once you adapt, things will improve."
Yang Xiong smiled. "Mom, starting tomorrow, I plan to focus more on physical training. I'll study and exercise during the day and meditate only at night."
Yang Lin frowned. "While physical fitness is important for soul masters, soul power remains the foundation. Training certainly helps, but it's better to spend more time on meditation, especially since your innate soul power level is six."
Yang Xiong replied, "Father, I have my own cultivation method. Trust me—I'll adapt quickly. By the way, I remember our sect provides medicinal baths. Could you help me register for one?"
Yang Lin looked puzzled. "With our sect's wealth, we do provide medicinal baths for all disciples. However, they're usually reserved for those aged twelve or older, or for Soul Grandmasters. While medicinal baths benefit the body and accelerate cultivation, children's bodies are still developing, and the baths might have side effects, potentially impacting future growth."
Yang Xiong quickly responded: "Father, my martial soul is unique. I want to start medicinal baths as soon as possible—it might stimulate my martial soul's growth."
Though still confused, Yang Lin eventually agreed. "Alright, if you're confident in your cultivation plan, then so be it. Medicinal ingredients may be precious, but they're not a concern for the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—we are, after all, the largest supplier of medicinal herbs on the Douluo Continent."
The family had grown accustomed to Yang Xiong's independent nature. From a young age, he had always been thoughtful and mature, handling matters with careful planning.
Yang Lin suddenly remembered something. "By the way, Xiao Xiong, Aunt Li's son is twenty years old and used to work in the patrol team for a while. I've spoken with Aunt Li, and she agreed to have her son assist with your daily life. You'll need someone to watch over you during your commutes to and from school—you're still only six, after all."
"If you train alone, there's a risk of accidents. I know you dislike being attended to, but sometimes having someone around can ensure your safety."
Yang Xiong reluctantly nodded.
In truth, Yang Xiong's family was quite well-off by the standards of the Douluo Continent. Both parents were soul masters and outer sect stewards of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, earning substantial salaries and receiving various subsidies from the sect.
Aunt Li was the family's hired maid, responsible for laundry, cooking, and cleaning. A family of soul masters couldn't afford to waste time on such mundane tasks—it was far better to dedicate that time to meditation.
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow